Jan 13, 2021
The Third Ox
Gallery
There's a saying that, time flies when you're having fun. In my experience, time doesn't wait until you're having fun. It flies anyway.
While shopping for greeting cards last month, I was startled to see that 2021 is the Chinese Year of the Cow, or more formally the Year of the Ox. The First Chinese New Year I passed living outside of the U.S. was the Year of the Ox. That was three full zodiac cycles-36 years-ago.
At that time, I was a Chinese language student in Taiwan. It was an extraordinary time. The country went from post-martial law, with soldiers stationed at street intersections, to pro-democracy marches, fistfights at legislative meetings and liberalization of trade and travel with mainland China.
After returning to the U.S. and getting a teacher license, I was working at a small recruitment firm. A coworker handed me an application for the JET program. I applied and to my surprise, i was accepted. That was in 1997. I arrived in Japan the following year, and have resided here since then.
It occurred to me that, after all this time I'm still working out basic questions about my life. The main one goes something like, have I made a horrible mistake? should I have moved back to the U.S. after JET? should i have come to Asia at all?
In some ways, I'm less prosperous now than the first day I arrived in Japan. The state of employment for foreigners is a topic for another day. But it's far too easy to let time drift by, and suddenly the future is here. Members of friends and family have passed from this life.
That being said, I have also been rewarded, in ways i sometimes forget. I teach English for a living. But I have always aspired to be a performing artist. Since my Taiwan days, I have been on television, in film and onstage as a singer, guitarist and band member. From my years in an international share house, I have dear friends around the world. There's also what has NOT happened. I haven't been beaten up, shot or had my residence broken into-and that's just the police! i know myself and my fellow performers appreciate going home from a late show without major concerns for our safety.
Until now i have not mentioned the pandemic. It has had an impact on many areas of life, especially entertainment. My guess is, the fallout will be with us for some to come. What does that mean for us-no one can say for certain. But I've always tried to be where I am because that's where I want to be-not because I think somewhere else is worse. Whatever happens, I'm going to make the best of where I am and what I have. By the time another ox joins my personal history, I hope all of us will be in a better, brighter place.
4 Comments
SalarymanJim
on Jan 15
"have I made a horrible mistake? should I have moved back to the U.S. after ?" - Often think about this and what my life would have looked like had I left Japan for home, but when I consider the good things that have happened during my time in Japan I'm usually left thinking that I made pretty good choice to stay. I think your sentiment of trying "to be where I am because that's where I want to be-not because I think somewhere else is worse" seems like a good place to operate from.
Skip
on Jan 15
@SalarymanJim Thank you. Well it doesn't make the doubts disappear. It also ignores the third reason for staying-moving is very expensive. But none of that changes my statement.
Kobakko
on Jan 20
Hey, Skip! I know you probably don't mean to, but you come across rather unsatisfied. Maybe you should embrace your artistic side more and spend more time performing, less time teaching. You don't sound too happy, but you're welcome to convince me of the opposite. Pandemic times have probably left most of us reflecting more. I think that's a good thing. Now you only have to take action towards a happier fourth ox. I'm curious in your performances. Anywhere to watch?
Skip
on Jan 20
@Kobakko Hello Kobakko Thank you for your comment. No, actually you are right. I'm looking back on 36 years, and i'm not completely satisfied. But what I don't mean, is to sound like i'm just complaining. As I said, there have been some good things and not so good things. Moreover, before someone else says it-at least part of it is my own fault. I made choices that led to where I am. But I won't ever sit back and say, well that's that-I should just accept everything the way it is. That-is not gonna happen. Anyway with performing, the way things are now, is that a very small percent of performers make a LOT of money. Everyone else has to scrape over the rest. I need a day job. Also, since I sing live, i'm able to save my voice by not doing it so often. I saw an interview with Miley Cyrus recently, where she talked about how touring affected her voice. You can hear it even when she speaks. Anyway thanks for your interest! You can see a video project I did a few years ago on youtube-look up counterfuge. I'm doing the acting, the voice and the music. I also perform with a group called Tokyo Closet Ball. We have several promotional videos on youtube and we are on facebook, twitter etc. I hope you enjoy it.